Integrated barge and tugboat



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ArTae/ver Jan. 9, 1968 E. A. PETERsoN I INTEGRATED BARGE AND TUGBO''EARL Defense/v Filed Aug. 1. 1966 E. A. PETERsoN INTEGRATED BARGE ANDTUGBOA'I' Jan. 9, 1968 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 .Filed Aug. l, 1966 INVENTORJan. 9, 1968 EQA. PETERsoN INTEGRATED BARGE AND TUGBOAT 5 Sheets-SheetFiled Aug. 1, 1966 *Irmunm ArraQ/VEY United States Patent O 3,362,372INTEGRATED BARGE AND TUGBOAT Earl A. Peterson, 11221 Loch Lomond Drive,Los Alamitos, Calif. 90720 Filed Aug. 1, 1966, Ser. No. 569,355 2Claims. (Cl. 114-235) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE lIn order to propel abarge through the water, a tug is employed which enters a docking areaconstructed at the back of the barge; this docking area being open bothtop and bottom to permit the tug to fioat in the water while propellingthe barge. There are a plurality of resilient or engaging members whichengage the tug and are yieldable to permit limited Vertical movementbetween the tug and the barge.

When coupling a tugboat to a `barge it is essential to fit the tugboatinto an open bottomed dock at the rear of the barge and then to provideyieldable grippin-g means which couple the tugboard to the barge, thuspermitting limited Vertical movement of the tug relative to the barge toadjust to the movement of wave action on the ocean, lake, or the like.

This invention relates to an integrated 'barge and tugboat whereby thesetwo units are coupled or connected by a fiexible, semiflexible, oryieldable means.

An object of my invention is to provide an integrated barge and tugboatfor use on the ocean or Great Lakes, and particularly where swells orWaves are present, and where the yieldable or llexible couplingstructure permits limited movement between the barge and tugboat so thatexcessive stresses onlthe coupling means will be reduced. i

Another object of my invention is to provide an integrated barge andtugboat in which greater control and maneuverability of the barge isprovided, and which will eliminate the use of towing cables between thetug and the barge, particularly where the operation is on the ocean,lakes, bays, or the like.

Another object of my invention is to provide a barge with an open dockor slot in the stern thereof, and where the Vertical movement of the tugwitln'n the slot or dock Will be minimal due to a tight but flexiblecoupling means between the tug and the dock. I

Still another object of my invention is to provide a novel integratedbarge and tugboat where the coupling means between the tug and the bargeshall be either pneumatically, hydraulically or mechanically actuated toeifectively hold the tug in position while the barge is being moved overthe ocean, bay or lake.

While I have shown preferred embodments of my in- Vention, it is to beunderstood that other modifications may be provided which accomplish theprime result of coupling or connecting a barge and a tugboat in such amanner that there is a limited rnoVement possible between the barge andthe tug induced'by swells or Waves on the ocean, bay or lake, and whereexcessive stresses on the coupling means is held to a minimum.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from theaccompanying drawings, the subjoined detailed description and theappended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side 'elevation of a tug in position in thedock of a barge.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the stern portion of thebarge with the tug in position.

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional View taken on line 3-3 in FIGURE 2.

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FIGURE 4 is a Vertical sectional View of the barge through the dockportion thereof.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the barge and tug showing amodified means of coupling the tug and barge.

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is another sectional view sirnilar to FIG- URE 6 and showinganother modified form of coupling between the barge and tug.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary plan view showing still another modified formof coupling means between the barge and tug.

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9-9 of FIGURE V8.

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary plan view of still another modified form ofcoupling means between a tug and a barge.

FIGURE 11 is a sectional view taken on line 11-11 of FIGURE 10.

FIGURE 12 is a sectional view taken on line 12-12 of FIGURE 11.

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary side elevation of still another couplingmeans between a tug and a barge.

FIGURE 14 is a sectional view taken on line 14-14 of FIGURE 13.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 1 indicates abarge, such as those used on oceans, lakes, bays, or the like, and areused to move large quantities of material. The barge itself usually hasno motive power, the engines being mounted in a tug 2, which is of usualand well known construction. The tug is positioned in a dock 3 at therear of the barge, this dock being open at the top, bottom, and stern sothat the tug may move into the dock area from the rear, and while boththe barge and tug are iloating in the water.

In my invention the tug is so held or locked in position on the bargethat it can effectively push the barge forwardly or rearwardly asdesired, and due to the oceans swell or Waves a limited amount ofVertical movement between the tug and the barge is desirable so that thecoupling structure will not be broken nor undue wear placed thereon. Thedock 3 is defined at `both sides by rearwardly extending arms 4 and 5,which are an integral part of the barge 1 and which extend preferablyfor the full length of the dock 3 and encompass most or all of thelength of the tug 2. To couple the tug 2 to the barge 1 so that the tugmay steer the barge as well as motivate the same, I provide a pluralityof disks or tires 6 which are mounted on a horizontal shaft or mandrel7. The tires or resilient members 6 may be pneumatic, hydraulic, orsolid tires, as may be required, but are sufficiently yieldable orcompressible under the pressure of the tug 2 so that there will be ayieldable connection between the tug and the barge. A rib 8 is formed onthe tug 2, or may be mounted on the inside of the arms 4-5, and thestern of the barge 1 as desired, and this rib extends horizontally andis positioned under the tires or resilient members 6 so that these tiresor resilient members will bear against the rib, su'bstantially as shownin FIGURE 1. A second row of tires or resilient members 9 are mountedbelow the tires or resilient members 6 on the mandrel 10, and theselatter tires or resilient members engage the bottom of the rib 8, andalso bear against the front or pushing surface of the tug 2.

To provide a coupling means along the sides of the tug 2 and between thetug and the arms 4-5, I provide a plurality of horizontally spaced tiresor resilient members 11-12 which are either rotatably mounted or may bestatonary on mandrels 13-14 respectively. These latter tires or 'bumpersmay be mounted either on the barge arms 4-5 or on the tug 2, and thetires may be either q z:) pneumatic, hydraulic, or solid, as found mostexpedient. The tires or resilient members 11-12 bear against the uppersurface of the rib 8, and a second set of tires or resilient members15-16 are positioned below the tires 11-12 respectively, so that thesecond described tires bear against the bottom of the rib 8, thusyieldably holding the tug 2 against excess vertical movement relative tothe barge 1, b'ut permitting a certain limited amount of verticalmovement between the tug and the barge to prevent excessive strain dueto the ocean swell or Waves.

To keep the tug 2 from accidentally backing out of the dock 3, I mayprovide connecting cables or ropes 17 extending between the tug and thebarge, substantially as shown. Due to the limited compressibility' ofthe various tires or bumpers 6, 9, 12 and 16, the tug will be heldsecurely in position relative to the barge 1 and within the dock 3, sothat the tug can both push and guide the barge as required. Also thistire compressibility absorbs the swell or waves in the ocean, lake, orbay so that no njury will result to themeans coupling the tug and thebarge.

In FIGURES 5, 6 and 7, I have illustrated another means to couple thetug to the barge within the dock 3, consisting of a block or strip 18which is mounted either on one of the arms 4 or 5 of the lbarge, or onthe tug 2 as desired. As shown in FIGURE 6 the strip or block 18, formedof a suitable elastic, rubber, or plastic, extends into a groove 18 inthe barge arm 4 or 5, and the resilient block is pressed tightly intothe groove 19 by means of a resilient tire 20 which bears against oneside of the block 18. In FIGURE 7 the reverse construction is shown tothat illustrated in FIGURE 6, in that the resilient block or strip 21bears against the outer surface of the tug 2 and is pressed tightlyagainst the tug by the pneumatic tire 22. In both instances theresilient strip or block 18 or 21 has a frictional engagement witheither the barge or the tug, and sufficient pressure can be exertedagainst the strip to insure a secure coupling between the tug and thebarge.

lIn FIGURES 8 and 9, I have illustrated still another means of .couplingthe tug 2 to the barge 1 consisting of a plurality of resilient tires orresilient members 23 which are either rotatably or fixedly mounted onsuitable shafts or mandrels 24, which shafts or mandrels may be mountedeither on the tug or on the barge as desired. The tires or bumpers 23fit into a groove or slot 25 formed or constructed in the tug 2 or thebarge 1, and the tires all fit tightly within the grooves 25 thuscoupling the tug to the barge, but permitting limited Vertical movementdue to the compressibility of the tires 23.

In FIGURES 10, ll and 12, I have shown still another means of couplingthe tug to the barge consisting of a pair of large horizontallyextending posts, tubes or shafts 26-27 which extend rearwardly'I fromthe' Stern of the barge 1. The tug 2 is provided with a plurality ofoutwardly extending rings 28 which are larger in diameter than the shaft26 or 27, and each ring is provided with a pneumatic or hydraulic tire29 which grips the shaft 26 or 27. Thus again the tug is coupled to thebarge 1 by a resilient or movable coupling of a limited amount.

In FIGURES 13 and 14 I ha've shown still another means of coupling thetug 2 to a barge within a dock area, consisting of resilient tires 30which are mounted in a yoke 31, the yoke 31 is in turn attached to ahydraulic or pneumatic ram 32 and this ram, when operated, will pressthetires 30 tightly against the adjacent Vertical face of an arm 4 or 5of the barge; or a reverse position may 'be provided for the tires 30 sothat the tires can engage the outer Vertical face of the tug 2. Thepressure of the hydraulic ram 32 is sufficient to frictionally hold thetires 30 tightly against its adjacent bearing surface, thus againyieldably coupling the tug to the barge and permitting only limited andlateral and forward or aft movement between the tug and the barge toprevent ocean swells from injuring the coupling structure.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. An integrated barge and tugboat, said barge having a dock therein toreceive a tugboat, means releasably coupling the tugboat to the barge,said coupling means permitting limited movement between the tugboat andthe barge, a rib on the tugboat, said coupling means engaging both thetop and bottom surfaces of the rib.

2. An integrated barge and tugboat, said barge having a dock therein toreceive a tugboat, means releasably coupling the tugboat to the barge,said coupling means permitting limited movement between the tugboat andthe barge, said coupling means including pneumatic tires positioned inthe dock between the tugboat and the barge, and a rib on the tugboat,said pneumatic tires engaging both the top and bottom surfaces of therib.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 799,645 9/1905 Grimm 114-2202,375,l39 5/1945 Schmitt et al. 114-235 3,033,152 5/1962 Le Tourneau115-6 FOREIGN PATENTS 701,606 12/ 1953 Great Britain.

FERGUS S. MIDDLETON, Primary Examner,

MILTON BUCHLER, Examliner. T. BIX, Assistant Examiner,

